


Under the Streetlights

by Starshaker



Series: 30 days of Techienician [19]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: 30 Days of Techienician, Admissions, Affection, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Apologies, First Dates, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-16 12:29:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8102428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starshaker/pseuds/Starshaker
Summary: 30 Days of Techienician Day 19 : Date night 
Matt has planned the perfect first date night, and then everything goes wrong.





	

Matt brought him baked goods rather than flowers.

“Well I thought flowers would be like a kick in the teeth,” Matt said and Techie frowned, confused, “Your allergies,”

“There’s loads in here,”

“Didn’t know what you might like,”

“All of them,” Techie said quickly and then glanced back to Matt, “I have a sweet tooth,” He admitted.

“Good to know,” Matt said and nodded.

“Your place is nice,” Matt said as he followed Techie in past the short entrance hall. Techie ducked his head. “Really, it is. Wait is that?” Techie knew what would have immediately caught Matt’s eye and he turned back to see him cross towards a picture taped to the side of the bookcase. “Is that Kylo Ren?”

“My half-brother knows him. Is dating him,” Techie said, “I’ve only met him once,”

“You half-brother is that guy? Hux, right?” Matt asked, Techie nodded and stepped up beside him. “And you didn’t tell me? ME! You know I love Kylo Ren and you’re practically related to him,”

“‘M not related, “Techie said and he took a step back away from Matt as he spoke. His eyes darted over to the corner of the room, a crack in the wall by the floor that had been there when he’d moved into the flat a few years ago.

“Are you ready to go?” Matt asked and Techie bristled, “I booked somewhere really nice,”

 

“Kylo Ren came here once,” Matt said as they started up the road and Matt pointed to a well lit up restaurant at the end of the street, “It was on his twitter but it was a while ago. He didn’t say whether or not he liked it but it has to be. He only goes to good places,”

 

Matt ushered him in, past the vacant stand by the door where someone might have greeted and seated them, and over to a table in the middle of the room. Matt pulled the seat out for him and his smile never faltered. Matt passed him a menu from an adjacent table and carried on talking about what Kylo might have chosen to eat.

Techie could feel the tightness rising in his throat, a taste like bile and his hands began to shake. He couldn’t hear what Matt was saying though he knew Matt hadn’t noticed his discomfort yet. He blinked to tried to dissipate the tears that filled his eyes but as the first tear broke from the middle of his eyelid he knew he was fighting a losing battle. 

“Shit, i’m sorry. I’ll shut up about Kylo Ren,” Matt said hurriedly and though Techie averted his eyes to an empty corner of the room away from the other customers in the restaurant in the hope that none of them would see. “What’s wrong? What is it?”

“I can’t afford any of this. Fuck, not even half of any of this,”

“I’ve got it covered,” Matt said and reached across the table to reassure him. 

“Can’t let you do that, wouldn’t be fair, “ Techie said quietly, “Fuck, maybe I should go,”

“Would you rather go and get burgers at that diner we passed on Columbus Street?” Matt asked, “Okay, just give me a minute,”

Matt disappeared and Techie kept his head down. He wouldn’t know anyone in this type of restaurant but he could feel all their eyes on him. After a few minutes Matt returned with a small white box. Techie eyed it curiously but couldn’t look any further up than Matt’s hands.

“What’s that?” Techie asked as he stood and Matt’s free hand rested against the small of his back.

“A surprise for later,” Matt said, his voice a low hum at Techie’s ear. “Burgers then?” Matt asked as they stepped back out onto the street. As the noise of the restaurant fell away Techie felt his chest relax and he was able to breathe a little easier.“Still my treat,” Matt insisted.

“Matt,”

“There are conditions,” Matt said quickly and Techie glanced up at him, “We have to get curly fries, and I get to walk you back to your door,”

“Okay,” Techie said and returned his gaze to the pavement as he hid a small smile that pulled at his lips. Tentatively he reached for Matt’s hand and at the lightest touch of skin Matt startled. Techie almost pulled away when Matt’s pinky finger hooked around his own. 

Streetlights lit up their path and little else. The shop fronts were dark and empty where the stock had been moved back inside overnight. Techie was beginning to feel comfortable in the warmth of Matt’’s side when from down an alleyway someone called out.

“Fucking freaks!” There was no-one else on the street and Techie knew the shout must have been for them. He flinched as he felt Matt turn towards the voice.

“What did you just say?”Matt asked as he rounded on them. He shoved the white carry box he into Techie’s hands and squared his shoulders as he stepped into the entrance of the alleyway. Techie could see the silhouette of two figures a few metres away but they were too shrouded in darkness to make out their features.

“You heard me,” The voice called out again.

“You’d better wish I hadn’t,” Matt growled.

“Matt,” Techie said but his voice was lost as Matt threw himself forwards into a brawl that looked matched in strength but not in determination. Matt had a power behind his fury that the other man couldn’t attempt to equal. 

 

Techie flinched with every grunt of pain and glimpse of a fist. He didn’t know whether Matt was triumphing or not but he was still on his feet as one of the attackers was thrown back into a wall. A small sharp jangle caught his attention and as he looked down a small keyring of car and home keys had fallen at his feet.

He bent quickly to grab them backed away before he could be seen. Cupped them in his palm and when he looked up Matt was backing away from the pair; one on theri knees cradling themselves around an old crate and the other waiting as if for another attack. 

“Matt please,” “I want to go,”

“They’ve learnt their lesson,”

“Are you hurt?”

“They didn’t get any good hits in,”

“Okay,” Techie said.

“You’re not happy,”

“I don’t like violence,” Techie said quietly and bristled as Matt touched his arm, “I’ve been around violence before,”

“I’d never be violent towards you Techie,”

“I know,”

“And they deserved it. You heard them. They’d say a lot worse if they weren’t so drunk they couldn’t pronounce anything else,”

“I know,” Techie said. Matt huffed and tucked his hands into his pockets until they reached the diner. Matt caught the handle of the door before Techie reached it and held it open for Techie. He glanced up at Matt who offered an apologetic and guilty look. 

“Thank you,”

“I’ll do better,” Matt said as he followed Techie inside, “Can we start over?”

“Sure,” Techie said and as they slid into a booth he pushed the white box across the table towards Matt and dropped the keys on top.

“What’re these?”

“One of the guys in the alley dropped them,”

“You are awesome,”

“I don’t like violence,” Techie said and worried his sleeves with his fingers, “But I know how to get back at people in other ways,”

“You can totally get the bigger slice of dessert,”

“Dessert?” Techie asked. Matt turned the box and opened it into full view on Techie. Two slices of triple layer chocolate cake filled the box to the brim. Chocolate sauce stuck to every surface inside the container. 

“Surprise,” Matt said and grinned, “The sweetest thing they had,”


End file.
